Preserving traditional flavors
Mid-Autumn Festival is not simply about candies, toys, and the innocent joy of children bustling in each step of carrying lanterns to welcome the moon, but it also contains warm, familiar feelings on the day of reunion of each family. This is the occasion for each family to gather around the tray of offerings to welcome the full moon. Along with many diverse and rich types of cakes and candies, the typical baked cakes and sticky rice cakes are indispensable traditional flavors of the nation. The small, pretty moon cakes are respectfully offered to ancestors, after carrying lanterns, people come back to enjoy the gifts of autumn together. Traditional moon cakes usually include 2 types: baked cakes and sticky rice cakes. Sticky rice cakes are made from pure white sticky rice flour stuffed with sugar and fragrant grapefruit flower water, molded in a round wooden or plastic mold, with the filling made of lotus seeds or crushed green beans. The round shape of the cake represents the shape of the full autumn moon, the ivory white color of the cake crust symbolizes the meaning of "family reunion" and especially the love between husband and wife.
Moon cakes also consist of two parts: crust and filling. The crust is made from yeasted wheat flour mixed with chicken eggs and a little sugar, the filling can be made from green beans, taro or crushed lotus seeds wrapped around salted egg yolks; mixed fillings include all kinds of things such as ham, pork, coconut, melon seeds, lotus root, squash... Each filling has a different salty or sweet taste like the colorful flavors of life. Moon cakes today have many changes in style, form, diversity, richness, from tiny mini cakes, to large cakes that can be cut into small pieces for many people to eat, or strange animal shapes. However, the flavor and spirit that the traditional cake brings are still rich, complete as the inherent meaning in every autumn. As a popular baked cake product, Ha Lang baked cakes have become a favorite dish of many people, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Ms. Hoang Thi Thao, a bakery in Na Keo, Ha Lang commune, said that making cakes is related to the health of consumers, so ensuring food hygiene and safety is the first criterion of bakers. Ha Lang baked cakes maintain tradition, maintain the brand, for the health of consumers.
Many people express their love through homemade cakes according to their children's favorite flavors and shapes. Ms. Thu Huong, Nung Tri Cao ward, although very busy with work, every Mid-Autumn Festival she spends time making cakes with her daughter. The small, pretty cakes, although not as sophisticated as market cakes, contain the feelings of the maker to loved ones. Ms. Huong shared: Although my daily work is quite busy, every Mid-Autumn Festival, I arrange time to make moon cakes for my family to enjoy, also as a small gift for relatives and friends. But most importantly, making cakes at home creates a warm, cozy atmosphere among family members, especially for children. The children who participate have better understood and appreciated and cherished the traditional culture of the nation. The cakes are made as a reminder, a message from parents who want their children to always remember the value of reunion, family love and happiness. Therefore, not only at home but also in many schools, they organize cake making, Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns and full moon festival so that children can understand the meaning of reunion and participate in group activities.
Strengthening family and community ties
In modern life, many new forms of entertainment have appeared, but the traditional values of the Mid-Autumn Festival still need to be preserved and promoted. Preserving the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival is also preserving the cultural identity of Vietnam. That is maintaining the custom of making lanterns, carrying lanterns, displaying moon-watching trays... is the care that families give to children on this special occasion.
Besides the Mid-Autumn Festival tray, which is an activity that attracts a large number of children, regardless of the locality, mountainous or plain, they have something in common, which is the star lantern procession and moon-watching feast. These are the two main activities in the Mid-Autumn Festival that any child loves and will become beautiful memories in the soul of each person when they grow up. That is the image of the bright full moon evenings, the whole village and alleys resound with the sound of drums and the cheers of children holding lanterns following the bustling lion dance troupes.
In each house, people gather around the tray of food, enjoy sweet moon cakes, chat together in a warm, joyful atmosphere, with the sound of lion dance drums. To promote the traditional cultural beauty of the Mid-Autumn Festival, for many days now, agencies and units in localities in the province have organized cultural and artistic activities, helping students better understand the origin and meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, contributing to educating children to preserve the good identity of the nation. At the same time, organize activities to visit and give gifts to children in especially difficult circumstances, orphans without a place to rely on so that the Mid-Autumn Festival is always complete, full of meaning like the full moon night. These activities not only bring joy, but also educate the young generation about compassion, sharing and national cultural pride. Especially right before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the circulation of storm No. 10 caused heavy damage in the northern provinces, including Cao Bang. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival carries the meaning of sharing. Many activities of giving gifts and supporting people to overcome natural disasters and difficulties to stabilize their lives have been carried out by all levels, sectors and volunteer organizations, bringing a warmer Mid-Autumn Festival.
Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole sky seems to light up with the familiar red color of the stalls displaying beautiful moon cakes. The traditional atmosphere is multiplied when encountering spaces recreating the old Mid-Autumn Festival with boxes of cakes next to lanterns, sparkling, warm star lanterns. The traditional cultural beauty of the Mid-Autumn Festival is still being preserved and promoted in society, contributing a great part to the spiritual life of the people. Although modern society has many changes, the Mid-Autumn Festival is still an occasion for everyone to return, reunite, bond and cherish love in the family.
Source: https://baocaobang.vn/gin-giu-gia-tri-truyen-thong-tet-trung-thu-3180868.html
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